Based on Market Demands, Toyota Says No to New Electric Car

The market demand for all-electric cars envisioned by Toyota Motor Corporation has not materialized according to the company, forcing it to shed a projected battery-powered minicar line.

The company is taking a different tack than its counterparts at General Motors or Nissan, planning to offer only 100 eQ all-electric vehicles in the US market. Toyota projected sales of “several thousand” in 2010.

“Two years later, there are many difficulties,” Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s vice chairman and the engineer who oversees vehicle development, told reporters on Monday.

By dropping plans for a second electric vehicle in its line-up, Toyota cast more doubt on an alternative to the combustion engine that has been both lauded for its oil-saving potential and criticized for its heavy reliance on government subsidies in key markets like the United States.

“The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society’s needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge,” said, Uchiyamada, who spearheaded Toyota’s development of the Prius hybrid in the 1990s.

Instead, Toyota will focus on its successful line of hybrid gas-electric vehicles, including the hybrid Prius.

Limited vehicle range and high costs have made pure electric models less attractive to consumers and thus dampening demand, Reuters said.

The evidence suggests that the issues consumers have with pure electric vehicles is not isolated to the US market.

Even the successful Prius hybrid brand’s plug-in models are failing to reach their sales targets in Japan—achieving only 20 percent of the 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles the company expected to sell this year.

It’s not just disappointing news for Toyota.

In an attempt to boost sales of the disappointing Chevy Volt electric vehicle, GM has offered steep discounts approaching $10,000 in August, or nearly 25 percent of the original vehicle price. This does not include the federal tax credits of $7,500 that could further reduce the sticker price at the dealership.

GM refuses to release details on the discounts offered or the impact of the incentives in driving up sales of the Volt or in calculating the losses per vehicle, which the Washington Times estimated could be as high as $30,000, once development, manufacturing, and other production expenses are included and discounts added.

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because Toyota is intelligent, efficient, rational, reasonable and practical! like all businesses who stand to govern their own without Obama handouts. Private businesses who control their own, respect considerations to patron and consumer standards.

Come on America, enough wars, political infighting, and job outsourcing!

We put men on the moon, sent rovers to Mars, launched satellites that surround the earth, and we can't make an electric car with battery that lasts 10 years, a range of 500 miles, can be charged by non-polluting solar panels in less than five hours, and costs under $20,000?!?

We can do this America. This is our challenge for this and the next generation. This is how we empower America to once again lead the world. This is who we are.

Electric Cars are so 1900’s.. It really has been the “progressive” Utopia since the early 1900’s. It amazes me how every so many decades it’s pushed, then people realize the cost v.s cheaper alternatives, followed by reality droping the idea again. When the government pushes it (as it is today), taxpayer money is wasted.

I would be more receptive if NO Government money was involved, and the (Private Free – Market) decided it’s fate (like the Iphone,etc). But any government involvement screams of corruption and abuse to a personal free decision. (government Motors is not a private company, but is a crony captialst (comunist model company at this point.)

Empower America with Less government, Not more. and America will propsper and remain free.

IF Toyota would make the following car it would dominate the field.
In 1996 in the NESEA American Tour de Sol, the Solectria Sunrise got 375 miles per charge, Ford’s Ecostar got 227 miles per charge, GM's EV-1 got 125 miles per charge. Nearly 20 years later they've actually regressed!?! ! Why? What industry has an interest adverse to the electric car industry? The same international oil and gas industry who have a chokehold on US. It would be easy to make an EV (electric vehicle) that is: Coated with Thin-Film PV so it is always trickle charging the batteries and ultracapacitors, anytime any light, direct or indirect, is present, (Aleo Solar thinfilm PV, developed by Dr. Vivian Alberts of Univ. of Johannisberg S.A., works equally well off of indirect light because it operates off of infrared, it pays back for itself in 2-3 years and lasts 17 years (for 15 years of free power) and the active elements are fully recoverable recyclable for re-use.) This EV would also have Generators placed in certain wheels so that according to the generators configuration either or both the batteries or the ultracapacitors are charged anytime the wheels move, (the free moving wheels containing generators (high efficiency DC permanent magnet dynamo generator) are rolling along with the large already moving mass of the vehicle propelled as a means of transport); (UQM is a leader in high efficient motors and generators); Regenerative Braking (AC magnetic field induced braking low efficiency generator) would also recapture energy and also feed electricity back into the onboard recharging system; The Solectria Sunrise’s power saving system and light weight ideas could be approximated or used; and Power Saving Ultracapacitors i.e., Maxwell Technologies', would also be employed during acceleration greatly extending the battery charge up to 15 times and of course further extending the range. You could also use the Altairnano Nanosafe batteries which already provide +240 miles per charge in Phoenix Motorcars and Lightening vehicles, charge in 10 minutes, operate in extreme temperatures, do not overheat and last over 15,000 recharges. This EV would rarely need recharging by an outlet because it is almost always trickle recharging through these other means, especially the PV. Economically: Think of the world-wide market for such a vehicle replacing most existing vehicles and the money and wealth it would put into the hands of consumers and the worldwide economy because they are not paying for gas or much electricity. And, of course, the effect it would have on reducing climate change and air pollution. Think of all the jobs it would create

I'm not surprised at this post by Toyota. Several years ago we wanted to get a Prius, but decided against it because of the price. It would take several years to get a pay back one the fuel savings. At a Houston car show I asked a rep from Toyota about the cost of replacement batteries. He had no idea of that cost. The greatest invention aside from the wheel is the internal combustion engine. We are told there is enough fossil fuel in the USA that will last many lifetimes into the future. If it ain't broke, why try to fix it.

GM Has not now or EVER offered $10,000 discounts on the Volt. If so please find me where I can get one! It's a great deal even at sticker price! In fact the Volt is breaking it's sales records every month now and has outsold 50% of the current automobile offerings of ALL brands so it's right in the middle of the pack for all automobile sales by model for 2012. I just don't get why you people want to continue to buy foreign oil and send your money to the Middle East. I prefer to use domestic energy to power my cars. As a registered Republican I'm disgusted at how the party is assaulting domestic energy driven cars and you've lost me until the Party posting changes. I know dozens of other Republicans that will also not be voting Republican because of this issue. It's going to cost the party dearly.

"I just don't get why you people want to continue to buy foreign oil and send your money to the Middle East."
It's not that we "want to", Obama has made it a point stop and or hinder domestic production for political reasons. Therefore the U.S. will buy where the market produces it, mostly from Canada and Mexico.
Domestic energy prices (electricity production) are expected to increase 8% to 10% annually.
The U.S. is looking at HUGE increases in taxation after the first of the year due to expiration of some gov't tax plans and due to ObamaCare.
I'm happy to hear you will buy a Volt. Apparently you've got a few nickels left over at the end of the month to rub together. Please don't gloat. You are only being as devisive as Obama.
Time for a new President……..VOTE for the other guy…….

Not much to add. Technology is insufficient at this point in time for all electric to replace hybrid or gasoline autos. I do wonder where we are in using natural gas for automobiles. It is much further ahead than electrically powered autos.

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